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Win a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth and help animal charities
The folks at the Animal Aid Foundation announced today that they are holding a raffle for a 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth with the proceeds of the event going to support the various animal charities that benefit from the work done by AAF. Best of all, unlike some “win a car” raffles that have uber expensive tickets that are $50-100 dollars – the Animal Aid Foundation raffle for the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth costs just $20 per ticket.
On the off chance that the winner might not want the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth, there is the option of a $20,000 cash prize but having driven the 500 Abarth in a variety of tracks and on the open road – I can attest that this is the most exciting compact car available in the US today. The beauty of the Fiat 500 Abarth is that like many compact cars on the market, the 500 Abarth offers incredible fuel economy (28 miles per gallon around town, 34 on the highway) while 160 horsepower and 170lb-ft of torque makes this tiny car a total blast to drive – all wrapped up in a sleek European hatchback with the level of quality throughout the interior that you would expect from an Italian sports car. Truth be told, the Fiat 500 Abarth is one of my favorite cars sold in the US right now – and I have driven the majority of sporty models available right now.
"Last year's Animal Aid Foundation Raffle for Rescue was a tremendous success that allowed us to donate over $7,000 to like minded animal rescue organizations,” said Aaron Bambach, Director of the Animal Aid Foundation. “This year should be even better, thanks to our incredible volunteer network who roll up their sleeves each day to save lives."
The winner of last year’s AAF vehicle raffle opted for the $20,000 cash payout rather than the Dodge Challenger offered up as the prize.
The Animal Aid Foundation is based out of Sterling Heights Michigan. You can visit the Animal Aid website by clicking here and to purchase the Fiat 500 Abarth raffle tickets, click “Your Donation Helps” and then “events”. The winning ticket will be chosen randomly on August 16th 2013 and the winner does not need to be present to win. This means that no matter where you are in the country, you can purchase a $20 chance to win your choice of the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth or 20 grand in cold, hard cash.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Animal Aid Foundation, it is a non-profit organization whose mission is to financially support local animal rescue organization's as well as place lost, abandoned or unwanted animals into forever homes for a second chance at being a part of a family. In short, the AAF helps find homes for animals in need while also providing support to other charities that provide similar services.
If you love animals and want to support a great animal charity while also taking a shot at winning an incredible compact sports car – head over to the Animal Aid Foundation website right now by clicking here and purchase your chance to win the 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth!


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Over the holiday IndieDB released the results of their 2011 indie game of the year competition. At the beginning of the month they had their top 100 games and it dwindled down from their. I can’t say that I am surprised by this list because many of these games are fantastic and deserve these spots, but I […]
Agatsuma Entertainment released today the opening video, a few new pieces of artwork and some screenshots of the upcoming 3DS side scrolling action game Code of Princess, that will be released in Japan next spring.
Yesterday, the new adventure game from Pendulo Studios, today unveiled a series of 4 new images! After having left its mark in adventure gaming with its million-selling trilogy Runaway and more recently with The Next BIG Thing, Pendulo has now given up comedy for once and is offering an original and dark thriller. The images […]
During the Ludum Dare 22 competition earlier this month, Notch created an even more retro version of Minecraft called Minecraft 2 (big surprise I know). The game took under 48 hours to create all by his lonesome but apparently it sparked something in him because Notch announced via his Twitter account that a Minecraft sequel is currently in the […]
The last Nintendo 3DS firmware update allowed developers to implement billing programs for paid DLC on the handheld. It’s a practice the company said it would allow but wasn’t particularly happy about because it felt players deserved the “complete experience.” Nintendo itself is hopping on that paid DLC bandwagon which will start with the Fire Emblem title […]
This rumour comes directly from a Japanese image board. The original poster claims that he has a leaked document which contains the character line-up for the upcoming Smash Bros game which is confirmed for both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. The list reads: King K Rool (Donkey Kong) Zoroark (Pokemon) Ghirahim (Zelda) Little Mac (Punch Out) Saki Amamiya (Sin and Punishment) […]
A new Bravely Default: Flying Fairy trailer has come out of this morning’s Nintendo Direct press conference. It originally debuted at Jump Festa last week. It promises new developments in spring 2012, including an augmented reality application and demo as well as a release.

domain: news


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Midway note Mortal Kombat interest
With Midway showing all signs of sinking like a stone (we were warned yesterday that the embattled game publisher is burning through cash at an alarming rate), reports reach us today suggesting that there has already been significant interest in the Mortal Kombat IP.
Midway's Geoff Mogilner told MTV that the rights to the fighting series are already sparking the attention of other games publishers, who were alerted when Midway announced the rights to the brand were up for sale yesterday.
Apparently, Mortal Kombat has earned Midway 1.5 billion USD since debuting. Midway's situation, meanwhile, is believed to be increasingly dire.
"There are conversations for certain," the exec added on the prospect of a sale. "I can't say whether this is something that would have happened otherwise. There's definitely interest in Mortal Kombat. I'm not going to lie about that."
Meanwhile, the Mortal Kombat team are said to be starting work on a new game engine.
- Diversity and gay romance didn't hurt sales says BioWare's David Gaider
- Microsoft accidentally leaks a “placeholder” release date for Halo: ODST remaster
- Shipment of copies of Splatoon robbed en-route to the UK
- Mortal Kombat X not coming to PS3 and Xbox 360 in June
- Spiders' The Technomancer to debut at E3
- Dirty Bomb open beta is coming next month
- Ubisoft now emailing players to encourage them to finish their games
- Supremacy, Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare's next DLC coming to Xbox next month with added Bruce Campbell
- 2K launches a teaser for a new title possibly called Advent


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Over twenty billion pounds of clothing ends up in our landfills every year.
One in every ten garments bought are never worn and sometimes simply thrown away, but not everyone is cut from the same cloth. Locally, there are some people making the most out of what they already have.
"People bring me their tired, their worn, their bridesmaid dresses, their prom dresses. They all know where to get rid of them," laughed Jo Ann Shelby, one of the reDesign Fashion Show's featured designers.
The redesign movement rejuvenates the old and neglected into something beautiful. Angie Kemp has upcycled since she was a child, cutting up her dad's old shirts and making homemade Halloween costumes out of anything she could get her hands on.
"I would just try to look for the craziest stuff I could find and make it even crazier," said Kemp, a student at NMU.
After moving up from the Lower Peninsula last year to study Environmental Issues and Sustainability, she found an outlet for her creativity, the reDesign fashion show. With the help of the cousin she never knew, Angie won last year's Open Contest and now dons the title of Featured Designer.
Jo Ann Shelby won the same category four years ago, utilizing the sewing abilities she honed as a kid to repurpose vintage garments into recognized works of art.
"It was something I'd always done. Now they call it upcycling," Shelby noted.
And that canny ability to salvage scraps that otherwise might be discarded is inherent to the Upper Peninsula, which makes the venue for this year's show at the Marquette History Center even more fitting, highlighting Yoopers' innovative nature.
"People used something and repurposed it out of, really, the need to do so," said Cris Osier, the Assistant Director at the Marquette History Center.
And although the show may have outgrown the Garden Bouquet and Design shop, the heart of the movement still resides where the event found its legs.
"This is a hub of creativity, and I want people to feel that they can be creative and they can express themselves," explained Kim Smith, the owner of Garden Bouquet and Design.
Angie's story embodies the upcycling philosophy. She took an untapped relationship with her cousin and repurposed it into a friendship that will last a lifetime, all the while, revitalizing 99 cent sweaters and attic dwelling laundry in the same fashion.
"I didn't know her. I really didn't know her that well. So first, just having her work here, that's one thing. But then to realize what an amazing artist she is and I see that, I see her growing. Who knows where that will go for her?" Smith, Angie's cousin, added.
Finding the beauty in something that's been there the whole time personifies the upcycling movement, preserving a U.P. practice, generations in the making.


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NEW ORLEANS-- We love our Saints in New Orleans, and signs of support for Brees & the Boys have been popping up all over town!
We found this sign in front of H Rault Locksmith shop on Magazine Street.
The sign reads: "2 Dat! Let's Do Dat! Congratulations to NFC South Champions New Orleans Saints."
H Rault Locksmith shop is known for putting up Saints signs. Here's a story about another sign they put up in the past stating their opinion of NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell.
Our guess is if the Saints go to the Super Bowl, another sign will go up!


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LOCOG underlines importance of British eggs
LOCOG has already stipulated that all shell eggs used during the Games will be British Lion free range. However, until recently the sourcing requirements for egg products have not been as clear, just suggesting that caterers should use British products where possible.
After detailed briefings from industry representatives, highlighting the continued production of illegal battery cage eggs in some parts of the EU, Lord Sebastian Coe has now confirmed that: "All of our caterers are required to use only British Lion Free Range eggs if in shell, and they have confirmed that they will do so.
"With regards to other egg products, we will be reiterating our expectation of our caterers to source all other egg products from eggs produced in legal systems only. We are confident that, as our caterers are required to use British products where possible, this will help in our fulfilment of our expectation."
Andrew Parker, Chairman of the British Egg Industry Council, said: "We’re delighted that LOCOG is supporting British producers and underlining how important it is that all Olympic Games caterers ensure their eggs and egg products fully comply with the legislation banning barren battery cages."
Peter Kendall, President of the NFU, said: "Following a long period of the industry working together, it’s good to see LOCOG confirm that the criteria of the ground-breaking food vision will be extended to egg products, which will enhance both the customer experience of the Games and the prospect of a sustainable food service legacy following it."
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BURLINGAME, Calif. (KGO) -- A 12-year old on the Peninsula is using her sewing skills to help the community during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Ashlyn So designs and sews clothes that have been featured at New York Fashion Week! When the Coronavirus crisis began she channeled that passion for fashion into making stylish masks for people on the front lines. For every mask she sells and sometimes delivers from a social-distance, two more are donated to healthcare workers.
She says it's been very cool seeing how much others have wanted to pitch in, and was pleasantly surprised when a worker at a Joann Fabrics store gave her a gift one day.
"Some people have been donating fabric and they've also been helping by donating money so we can use it to buy supplies," beams Ashlyn from her Burlingame home. "It makes me feel really happy and really glad that I can help!"
Ashlyn can make 20 masks a day and so far has made 200. Her goal is to make 500 masks and says having extra time during spring break certainly helped!
You can learn more about Ashlyn and see her designs and label Pin2gether on Instagram here.
To learn more about her masks for healthcare heroes campaign here, visit her website here.
If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.
Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
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LAHORE– The Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry is entering into a long term collaboration with the Agriculture department, the Government of Punjab, and Everest International Expo (Pvt). Ltd to foster development and diversification of commercial exchanges and economic cooperation in agriculture sector.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is going to be signed between the three organizations on, Saturday 22nd June 2019 at Punjab Agri Expo 2019.
A meeting held in this regard today was attended by Mr Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial, Minister Agriculture Department, Mr Ahmed Hasnain, Senior Vice President PCJCCI, Dr Wasif Khursheed, Secretary, Agriculture Department and Mr Muhammad Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI.
Mr Ahmed Hasnain, Senior Vice President PCJCCI, while commenting on the upcoming MOU said, whether in cotton or wheat, or many other agricultural products, the yield per acre in Pakistan is lower than both China and India.
Our lower agricultural productivity means that Pakistani farmers are unable to compete with their counterparts in other countries around the world, he added.
PCJCCI aims to conduct different workshops and B2B meetings with Chinese companies for learning innovative and better techniques of farming, he said adding that PCJCCI would make investments with the help of Chinese companies, in new seeds, farming technology, and techniques, mechanization and the water infrastructure which will ensure high return and generate employment in rural areas reducing rural poverty.
Mr Malik Nauman Ahmed Langrial, Minister Agriculture Department, exchanging his views on this occasion said that Agriculture based business was the fastest growing sector by unleashing umpteen opportunities and strengthening the supply chain in Pakistan’s agricultural scenario.
He also said the MOU to be signed by the three sister organizations would provide a unique opportunity to local and international exhibitors to market their products in Pakistan and develop linkages.
It will provide fruitful B2B and B2C interactions with prospective national and international businesses which will help in increasing export, he added.
Mr. Fa Wen Yen, CEO Everest International Expo (Pvt.) Ltd opined that the MoU would be creating joint business activities between Pakistan and China in the agriculture sector under the umbrella of CPEC as well.— PRESS RELEASE


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Fenty Beauty, a cosmetics brand launched by popstar Rihanna in 2017, has officially been named Nigeria’s favourite beauty brand.
This is according to new research by Tajmeeli, a popular cosmetic surgery education site.
Among other findings, it revealed the most searched cosmetic brands around the world, with people in Nigeria, Egypt and Ethiopia searching for Fenty Beauty more than any other brand.
Rihanna, 33, launched Fenty Beauty in 2017, with a dream to create a cosmetics company that would make “women everywhere [feel] included.”
Fenty Beauty currently retails between N23,000 to N25,000 in Nigeria.
In its first year, the company of which she owns 50 per cent of stocks, achieved sales of $550m, far more than other celebrity-endorsed makeup ranges, and earned Rihanna the title of Forbes richest female musician in August 2021.
Forbes magazine said most of Rihanna’s fortunes do not come from chart-topping singles, but from the success of her cosmetics empire.
Tajmeeli said it has analysed Google searches in 108 countries to establish the most-loved cosmetics brand for each.
They said the countries which are not included in their research did not chart in Google Trends for their chosen brands, suggesting interest in the brands is low in those countries.
Where the search interest scores were tied for multiple brands in one country, they provided joint-first place brands in the table.
Using a seed list of popular beauty brands, Tajmeeli used Google Trends to find out how popular each brand is worldwide, based on online search interest*. Search interest is scored from 0 to 100, where 100 is the most popular.
Taking the top spot in no less than 25 countries – almost a quarter of the 108 countries analysed – is L’Oréal. Not only that but the cosmetics company was also crowned the overall favourite in three continents: Asia, Europe and South America.
Interestingly, other affordable makeup brands follow in second and third place. CoverGirl scoops second as the favourite in 10 countries and two continents: North America and Australia & Oceania.
Despite missing out on a top spot on a continent level, Maybelline and NYX take joint third place, each a favourite in six countries respectively.
With six brands tied for the top spot, Hong Kong takes the title of beauty capital of the world. Chanel, Shiseido, Estee Lauder, Nars, Clarins, Laura Mercier, and Bobbi Brown are best liked in the country, each in equal measure.
In the UK, Canadian-born, e.l.f Cosmetics and playful brand, Too Faced taking joint first place as the most in-demand cosmetic companies.
The data in full, including all 108 countries’ favourite beauty brands, can be found on the Tajmeeli website.
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Auto brands are often among the first to push into new forms of media and advertising. That appears to be the case where mobile is concerned, too. Traffic to the mobile sites of automotive companies is growing much faster than to their PC-based Web sites, according to new study by comScore commissioned by mobile ad network Jumptap.
While traffic to traditional auto sites is increasing 30% annually, the number of visitors on the mobile side is up 463%, or 15 times the growth rate of online. Given the smaller base of mobile Web users, it's not too surprising that mobile traffic would be growing faster at this point.
People visiting mobile auto sites were also more likely to own a smartphone or a tablet than the overall mobile population. Seven in 10 (69%) who go to auto sites via mobile have smartphones, compared to 33% of U.S. mobile users overall who use smartphones. Automakers are trying to capitalize on the growing consumer adoption of high-end devices.
"At Ford, we moved aggressively to mobile marketing, prior to the shift in consumer behavior of using smartphones and tablets to do auto research. This recently published study from Jumptap and comScore further validates that this is where the market is headed, and our assumptions were correct," stated Brian McClary, social & emerging media specialist for Ford Motor Company.
A mobile advertising study released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau today based on a survey of 300 top U.S. marketing executives across different industry categories also shed light on the auto vertical. Auto was among the segments including restaurants and retail where the majority of companies are either still at an experimental stage or have adopted a fully integrated mobile strategy.
Once committed to mobile advertising, companies in these categories quickly gained confidence and migrated to more advanced mobile operations. At the same time, the IAB survey (conducted by Ovum Consulting) suggested that smartphones had not pushed aside features in auto marketing via mobile.
In the financial services and auto categories, regular phones were ranked as a higher priority than smartphones -- likely because the former still represents wider reach on handheld devices.
According to the Jumptap study, Edmunds.com is the most accessed auto site on mobile, with 17.1% of mobile consumers who access auto content visiting the site. Stephen Gandee, vice president of mobile and emerging technology for the car shopping site, said mobile has disrupted the auto-buying process by putting a wealth of information at users' fingertips right at the dealership. The mobile auto shopper skews male, and two-thirds are men compared to 48% of the mobile audience as a whole.


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Monolith Studios has announced that it will soon offer downloadable content for the single-player campaign of F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.
Entitled Reborn, the pack will enable players to take on the role of special soldier Foxtrot 813 to experience the main story from a different angle.
Speaking to IGN, the studio's associate producer Lucas Myers revealed that the content will include four different levels and take about two hours to play through.
Myers also indicated that new Xbox 360 Achievements and PS3 Trophies will be on offer from the DLC.
F.E.A.R 2's Armored Front pack was released back in May, including two multiplayer maps for the price of 540 Microsoft Points or £3.99 on the PlayStation Network.


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Military personnel are noticing Microsoft’s new policy on armed forces users — specifically, that the console isn’t supported overseas or in areas of spotty internet connection. Unsurprisingly, soldiers aren’t happy; Redmond is on the verge of losing a core demographic.
Microsoft could’ve done a worse job of launching its next-generation console: It could’ve included midget jousting, a 19th century minstrel show, and featured Steve Ballmer rising, naked, out of a giant vat of whipped cream.
The internet is up in arms over rumors that the next Xbox console will require an always-on connection. Imaginations are running wild, and we haven’t heard any official announcements from Microsoft. Unfortunately, it looks like we’ll be waiting even longer than we once thought. While the original plan was to announce the Xbox 360’s successor later this month, it now looks like it will be unveiled on May 21.
As we near the end of this console generation, the PC has been picking up the slack. Not only are games looking and playing extraordinarily better on the PC these days, but data is showing that the market is growing as well. With 8% growth in 2012, PC games made an astonishing $20 billion worldwide. It’s heartening to see the uptick, but what will happen when the PS4 and Xbox 720 launch?
Microsoft has a surprising success on its hands with the Kinect, and it doesn’t appear that it’s going to stop pushing that technology forward. The Playstation Move hasn’t been nearly as successful, and the latest rumblings in gaming circles is that Sony plans to launch a full-fledged Kinect competitor with its next generation console.
Microsoft has terminated its MVP program for DirectX and XNA and declared that the DX standard is “no longer evolving.” Is this a poor choice of words, or does the move signal a fundamental shift in software development?
The HEVC video standard is finished, though extensions will be added through the next 12 months. It promises to halve the bandwidth needed to deliver HD content and could significantly improve streaming quality — once it’s adopted.
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Via his Twitter handle, the CEO of subscription-based retail platform Shopify Tobi Lutke revealed that he has started “dabbling” with Ethereum. Specifically, Lutke stated that he has explored the decentralized finance sector and smart contracts on Ethereum for the purpose:
Mainly to understand how ERC20 works better. Fascinating world.
With approximately 500,000 active “stores”, 1 million subscribed businesses worldwide, and a market share surpassed only by Amazon and eBay, Shopify is one of the most relevant eCommerce platforms today.
Since 2014 or so, Shopify has accepted USDC and PAX, and other digital assets as a form of payment. Integrating the platform with a DeFi protocol could be the next step. In a subsequent tweet and after experimenting with smart contracts, Shopify’s CEO asked the following question to the crypto community on the referenced social network:
What are the commerce related opportunities that you are most excited about? What role do you want Shopify to play?
The executive stated that decentralized finance will be good for Shopify and was curious about a variety of topics such as NFT regulations, DAOs, and oracle services. His tweets received responses from users and Ethereum Core developers. Lutke asked:
what’s the technical mechanism for doing that? I imagine the oracles are basically smart contracts that periodically write these external values to the chain (and cause Events?). Is that funded by the users of the oracle? Is there an open source example contract?
Ethereum DeFi “aligned” with Shopify
Responding to a user’s concern about the incompatibility of decentralized finance and Shopify, Lutke stated that the “spirit” of the platform and DeFi are “aligned” and fit together. The executive explained:
Usually companies see a market like retail and say “cool, I’ll go win that market”. Shopify did “cool, let’s make sure everyone can participate”. So in spirit (not by your definition) we are helping push against centralization. Makes sense?
Lutke revealed that his mind “exploded” with the various opportunities but did not disclose further details about possible integration with the DeFi sector.
ETH is trading at $2,081 with gains of 1.7% in the last 24 hours. In the past week, ETH posts gains of 21.4%. Early last week, Visa announced that it would begin settling transactions on Ethereum. After the announcement, ETH received a bullish boost towards a new ATH.


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PRIVATE SECTOR; Super Bowl Snub? What Snub?
By Sherri Day (COMPILED BY MARK A. STEIN)
Published: January 26, 2003
As part of the buildup to the Super Bowl, the University of San Diego invited National Football League officials and corporate sponsors to a luncheon on Thursday to discuss how the game became a big business of its own. Everything from the stadium (Qualcomm) to the ball (Wilson) has a corporate sponsor, eager to pony up big money to reach the many millions of people who watch the game.
Conspicuously absent from the lunch was a representative of one of the Super Bowl's biggest sponsors: Pepsi, host of the halftime show. Is that because the university is a ''Coke campus'' offering only Coca-Cola products?
Dave DeChico, a Pepsi spokesman who was in California last week, said the luncheon was simply not on the company's radar. ''The events that are important here are the events that consumers can actually attend and that N.F.L. fans can attend,'' he said. Sherri Day


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China has acquired a global network of strategically vital ports
The Washington Post November 27, 2023
A decade ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping launched the Maritime Silk Road, the oceanic component of his flagship Belt and Road Initiative aimed at improving China’s access to world markets by investing in transportation infrastructure. The initiative’s investments have since slowed as Chinese growth falters, the United States pushes back and countries question the indebtedness the projects brought.
But China has already secured a significant stake in a network of global ports that are central to world trade and freedom of navigation. Although the stated goal of the investments was commercial, the United States and its allies have grown increasingly concerned about the potential military implications.
Xi has frequently talked of his ambition to turn China into a “maritime superpower.” The port network offers a glimpse into the reach of those ambitions.
China’s ambitious sea route runs south from the coast of China through the major transit route of the Indian Ocean and the busiest maritime choke points of the Middle East, ending up in Europe.
When Xi announced his plan, China had stakes in 44 ports globally, providing a foundation for his strategy. A decade later, China owns or operates ports and terminals at nearly 100 locations in over 50 countries, spanning every ocean and every continent. Many are located along some of the world’s most strategic waterways.
The majority of the investments have been made by companies owned by the Chinese government, effectively making Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party the biggest operator of the ports that lie at the heart of global supply chains.
The expansion is critical to China’s economic power and has significant military implications as well, analysts say. “This is not coincidental,” said Carol Evans, director of the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College. “I firmly believe there is a strategic aspect to the particular ports they’re targeting for investment.”
The stated aim of this maritime network is commercial: to enhance and streamline China’s access to worldwide markets. In 2018, China expanded its maritime footprint at the Khalifa port in the United Arab Emirates, an important connector between Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Chinese state-owned Cosco Shipping built a commercial container terminal at the port, which it now operates.
But the investments go beyond that. They give Beijing a window into the business dealings of competitors and could be used to help China defend its supply routes, spy on U.S. military movements and potentially engage U.S. shipping, according to analysts. Chinese-owned ports or terminals are already ports of call for Chinese warships, such as the flotilla that entered the Nigerian port of Lagos in July.
In late 2015, China acknowledged it was building a military base adjacent to the Chinese-operated port of Djibouti. The African base was officially opened in 2017, only six miles away from a U.S. military base in the country. Located at the narrow entrance to the Red Sea, Djibouti is on one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, where about 10 percent of global oil exports and 20 percent of commercial goods pass through the narrow strait to and from the Suez Canal.
Beijing is decades away from matching the U.S. military presence worldwide, but China has the biggest and fastest-growing navy in the world, and increasingly it is venturing beyond the shores of eastern Asia. From having no naval presence in the Indian Ocean two decades ago, for instance, China now maintains six to eight warships in the region at any given time, U.S. officials say.
A journey along the Maritime Silk Road illustrates some of the strategic advantages of China’s port investments.
A route for some major shipping lanes and global ports, the Indian Ocean was an early priority for China. About 80 percent of China’s trade crosses the ocean, including almost all of its oil. China’s port investments seem designed to protect the route. Beijing, for instance, has secured a 99-year lease at the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka, giving it an important foothold on the busy shipping lane between Asia and the West.
Persian Gulf and Red Sea
China’s interest in these port locations goes beyond purely commercial concerns, U.S. officials say. Many are located at strategic chokepoints with high shipping traffic. At these locations, sea routes are narrow and ships are potentially vulnerable.
Strait of Hormuz
Leaked U.S. intelligence documents earlier this year suggested that China has revived an effort to establish military facilities at the United Arab Emirates port of Khalifa in the Persian Gulf, by the crucial Strait of Hormuz and just 50 miles away from an important U.S. military base.
China has already established one military facility adjoining a commercial port operation, in Djibouti, at the mouth of the Red Sea. U.S. officials say there are indications that it is scouting for more.
Beijing has also been growing its influence in ports on Egypt’s Suez Canal, a vital human-built waterway that provides a shortcut from Asia to Europe. Earlier this year, Chinese shipping companies announced investments in terminals at the ports of Ain Sokhna and Alexandria.
China already controls or has major investments in more than 20 European ports, giving it significant sway over the continent’s supply routes. Many serve as vital logistics and transshipment points for NATO and the U.S. Navy. “It’s a significant national and economic security concern,” said Michael Wessel of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
One way in which China has secured a commanding position is through a little-known software system called Logink, a digital logistics platform owned by the Chinese government. It potentially gives China access to vast quantities of normally proprietary information on the movements, management and pricing of goods moving around the world. So far, at least 24 ports worldwide, including Rotterdam and Hamburg, have adopted the Logink system. The U.S. Transportation Department issued an advisory in August warning U.S. companies and agencies to avoid interacting with the system because of the risk of espionage and cyberattack.
The original Maritime Silk Road, as laid out in Chinese documents, focused on three main routes. The plan has expanded to include the Atlantic and the Americas. Latin America is one of the fastest-growing destinations for Chinese port investments. China manages ports at both ends of the Panama Canal. It is building from scratch a $3 billion megaport at Chancay in Peru that will transform trade between China and Latin America, enabling the world’s largest shipping containers to dock on the continent for the first time.
The United States is still the world’s biggest military power, with about 750 bases overseas. China, with only one, is a long way from matching U.S. naval power, said Stephen Watts of the Rand Corp. “The implications of these far-flung bases have been overblown,” he said. “China would be easily overcome in these small outposts if it came to a shooting match.”
But China’s port network presents a different kind of challenge to U.S. security interests, separate from the threat of war, said Isaac Kardon of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. China is now the world’s premier commercial maritime power, and its strategic hold over the world’s supply routes could be used to interdict or restrict U.S. trade, troop movements and freedom of navigation in a range of different ways. “It’s an asymmetrical threat,” he said.


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This local article reports on an event in a specific geographical location. It may not be relevant for all readers.
Link to this article
[url=//m.bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Klaczynski_hosts_first_major_unsanctioned_TCG_Tournament] Klaczynski hosts first major unsanctioned TCG Tournament[/url]
 Klaczynski hosts first major unsanctioned TCG Tournament
Two time Pokémon Trading Card Game World Champion, Jason Klaczynski, will be hosting the Pokémon Trading Card Game’s first major unsanctioned event. The event will take place in Tinley Park in Chicago, Illinois on Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, 2013 and promises to have a number of exciting elements, including:
Best 2-of-3 Swiss Rounds (featuring a 75 minute + 3 turn time limit)
Over 25 booster boxes of the upcoming TCG expansion, Plasma Blast, and more as prizes


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This 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis, published in PLOS One, looked at mobile phone use in case-control studies and the risk of glioma. “Our results suggest that long-term mobile phone use may be associated with an increased risk of glioma,” they wrote. The researchers found an association between mobile phone use and low-grade glioma in the people who used cellphones regularly or for 10 years or more. “However, current evidence is of poor quality and limited quantity,” they added, and called for prospective studies to confirm the results.
There is a degree of controversy surrounding the implications of cell phone radiation, and what it means to our health. Some research has suggested that the type of radio frequencies used by cell phones can speed up the progression of cancer in laboratory test animals, but it has proven difficult to replicate these results. It is known that radiation from cell phones can affect pacemakers, but the main concern is related to the fact that most cell phone users hold the phone against their ear. If significant levels of radiation enter the tissues of the head in this way over time, some worry that this can increase the likelihood of brain tumors and related conditions.
But he cautioned that the exposure levels and durations were far greater than what people typically encounter, and thus cannot “be compared directly to the exposure that humans experience.” Moreover, the rat study examined the effects of a radio frequency associated with an early generation of cellphone technology, one that fell out of routine use years ago. Any concerns arising from the study thus would seem to apply mainly to early adopters who used those bygone devices, not to users of current models.
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Read the “fine print” from the manufacturer’s instruction manual which tells users to put a distance between the phone and your head and body. These fine print warnings range from a few millimeters to almost an inch. The fine print warnings on other wireless devices (such as Wi-Fi routers, wireless printers, home cordless phone base stations and baby monitors) generally state the distance should be at least 20 cm, or about 8 inches. If people are closer than the manufacturer stated separation distance, then they can be exposed to RF levels that violate the US government FCC limits for this radiation.
Most of the research is attributed to "SPSU," which is presumably St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University, and some of the research, it is suggested, was conducted at the Kirov Military Medical Academy, though it's unclear why a military academy would conduct clinical research on civilian cell phone radiation. The names of the scientists who conducted these studies are conspicuously absent, as are any published results.
Great article. I learned several things that I will put into use with my electronic technology. Thank you. There are numerous EMF/EMR blockers that you can stick on your cell phones, computers, (even microwave ovens for people who still use these). Each brand I’ve researched has the same goal but they’re all different. Are some brands more effective than others? If you can recommend some good brands, I would appreciate your advice. What are good features to look for when selecting the EMF blockers?
Finally, Brawley reminded me that cellphones kill humans in another way that we’re already certain about: because of inattention through distracted driving. In the US alone, there were 3,157 fatal crashes in 2016 that involved distracted driving, 14 percent of which included cellphone use, according to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That’s not the focus of this piece, but perhaps state and federal regulators could follow places like Washington state, California, New York, and Nevada and heavily crack down on distracted driving with bans or stricter laws.
Although recall bias is minimized in studies such as COSMOS that link participants to their cell phone records, such studies face other problems. For example, it is impossible to know who is using the listed cell phone or whether that individual also places calls using other cell phones. To a lesser extent, it is not clear whether multiple users of a single phone, for example family members who may share a device, will be represented on a single phone company account. Additionally, for many long-term cohort studies, participation tends to decline over time.
Compatible Phone Models iPhone, Samsung, Motorola and more, This device is designed to work with all cell phones, All dodels, Smart Phones, Flip Phones Apple iPhone 8, Apple iPhone 7, Apple iPhone 6, Apple iPhone 8, 7, 6, Apple iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6 iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus iPhone 6, iPhone 6S, iPhone 7, iPhone 8
3. A lab setting is the only legitimate way to show the effectiveness of our technology for a few main reasons: one, a controlled source is the only way to conduct a scientific study. Note that the controlled source that we used was specifically designed to simulate emissions from wireless electronics (RF and ELF emissions of various frequencies). Two, ambient levels in a non-controlled environment will affect readings, rendering the results inaccurate. Three, at-home equipment such as the meter used in the video is not suitable for the types of emissions by a wireless device, nor are they reliable.
It’s true that cellphones do emit radiation. And radiation is a scary word for a lot of people, thanks in part to the horrific aftermath of nuclear accidents and photographs of victims of the nuclear bombs the US dropped on Japan in World War II. People hear radiation and they associate it with nuclear radiation and the bomb, says Geoffrey Kabat, a cancer epidemiologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and author of the book Getting Risk Right. “There are all these associations and those are deeply ingrained in people. But it doesn’t apply here.”
Jump up ^ Repacholi MH, Lerchl A, Röösli M, Sienkiewicz Z, Auvinen A, Breckenkamp J, d'Inzeo G, Elliott P, Frei P, Heinrich S, Lagroye I, Lahkola A, McCormick DL, Thomas S, Vecchia P (2012). "Systematic review of wireless phone use and brain cancer and other head tumors". Bioelectromagnetics (Systematic review). 33 (3): 187–206. doi:10.1002/bem.20716. PMID 22021071.
Considering the current standards in the State of Israel and due to the distance from the base stations, the radiation that reaches people from this source is extremely low. Although direct studies that will test the effects of antennas on human health are not feasible, considering the aforesaid, this probably does not pose a significant health risk.
How many times do you put your cell phone in your back pocket when dashing to work or to a meeting? Maintaining a close proximity of cell phones to reproductive organs may not be the wisest idea when it comes to protecting reproductive health. SYB (Shield Your Body) Pocket Patch is a thin, white, and extremely lightweight patch that can be easily ironed on to the inside of pockets, effectively reducing up to 99% of cell phone radiation. Despite the powerful radiation-blocking effects of the hypoallergenic patch, it doesn't interfere with your phone's battery life or its normal behavior. It can be easily ironed on to any fabric, and tests show that the SYB maintains its potency even after 30 washes. Each patch is 5.5" tall and 3.75" wide, perfect for basic pockets in most pants, sweaters, and jackets.
The research continued, and what it uncovered would be a dire warning to cell phone users and the industry’s worst nightmare. When the findings were ready for release in 1998, the scientists were suddenly confronted with another challenge: the industry wanted to take over public dissemination of the information, and it tried everything it could to do so. It was faced with disaster and had a lot to lose.
Using the gauss meter at varied locations, you can easily detect electromagnetic radiation “hot spots” where exposure to these ominous frequencies is the greatest. Armed with this crucial information, you can then avoid these areas, re-arranging furniture or electronic devices as needed in order to avoid unnecessary exposure to electromagnetic radiation.
A 2012 study by NCI researchers (25) compared observed glioma incidence rates in U.S. SEER data with rates simulated from the small risks reported in the Interphone study (6) and the greatly increased risk of brain cancer among cell phone users reported in the Swedish pooled analysis (19). The authors concluded that overall, the incidence rates of glioma in the United States did not increase over the study period. They noted that the US rates could be consistent with the small increased risk seen among the subset of heaviest users in the Interphone study. The observed incidence trends were inconsistent with the high risks reported in the Swedish pooled study. These findings suggest that the increased risks observed in the Swedish study are not reflected in U.S. incidence trends.


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The revelation follows news from administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers on Tuesday that it has shortlisted “a handful” of bidders for the Keydata business, with a decision likely this week.
The FSA is understood to have been worried about the firm’s outward-bound telephone approach to distribution used by sales staff on more complex products such as those linked to tra- ded life policies.
A source close to the firm says: “The FSA was concerned that the sales relationship between the IFA and Keydata was at arm’s length and not close enough.
“The concerns would be, do customers know exactly what they are getting? Do you need to sit in front of somebody and have that conversation and articulate exactly what the risks are?”
Keydata is understood to have deployed regional sales staff last year to deal with more complex business with IFAs as a way of addressing this issue.
Technology and Technical director Kim North says: “The FSA has always been apprehensive about structured products. The FSA is worried when the sales function is simply outward-bound telephone calls and that is what the majority of Keydata’s sales process was. The responsibility lies with the IFAs to make sure they understand the product.”
The FSA confirmed that Keydata’s tax problem came to light while it was already investigating the firm but refused to comment on the reasons behind the probe or when it began. It would not comment on Key-data’s sales processes.


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Missouri Inmates Make Masks And Sanitizer To Stave Off Virus Outbreak
Work hasn’t stopped for Byron Ewing during the coronavirus outbreak — if anything, it’s more intense.
As an inmate at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Ewing works about 10 hours a day, pouring metal drums of chemicals into a massive mixer. At the end of the assembly line, his fellow inmates bottle the finished product: hand sanitizer.
As the outbreak continues to worsen, Missouri prison factory workers have begun producing a variety of supplies, from protective masks to medical gowns. The Missouri Department of Corrections has said it plans to distribute certain items to inmates and staff, but criminal justice advocates argue the factories are putting workers at risk.
“I feel like we’re making a big impact,” said Ewing, who makes about 71 cents an hour in the factory. “We might be saving somebody's life with the stuff we're making. Because it’s pretty bad out there now.”
The Missouri DOC operates prison factories inside a dozen correctional institutions through its Missouri Vocational Enterprises program. The factory at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, which employs about 30 inmates, typically makes cleaning supplies, like soap and floor wax.
But in late March, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration temporarily relaxed its standards for producing hand sanitizer, the factory shifted its focus.
Before they could start producing hand sanitizer in large quantities, the factory had to install ventilation and other safety equipment, said factory manager David Mallow.
“We're nervous,” Mallow said. “This is a highly flammable material that we're dealing with. I’m worried about my workers. I think this is probably the most mentally drained I’ve been in my career.”
Sourcing the alcohol and other raw materials has also been a challenge. In the past few weeks, Mallow said, the price of some items has quadrupled. Still, the factory has been able to make about 1,100 gallons of sanitizer per day — which will be sold to state government agencies.
Meanwhile, inmates are sewing thousands of face masks in textile factories at state prisons in Chillicothe, Farmington, Jefferson City and Vandalia.
The goal is to distribute two masks to each of the more than 28,000 inmates, as well as staff members, said Missouri Department of Corrections spokesperson Karen Pojmann via email. Another 1,100 will be sent to the Missouri General Assembly.
But some criminal justice watchdog groups have criticized the Missouri Department of Corrections for continuing to operate prison factories during the coronavirus outbreak.
Amy Breihan, Missouri director of the MacArthur Justice Center, said the department is “taking advantage of prison labor” and putting inmates at risk.
At least one staff member with Missouri Vocational Enterprises in Jefferson City has tested positive for COVID-19, she added, underscoring the urgency of the issue.
“Inmates are working in close quarters with other people, shoulder to shoulder in some instances, which heightens their risk of exposure,” Breihan said. “It’s a cruel irony that they’re making many materials they’re not allowed to use, and they’re doing it for pennies on the dollar.”
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The Business Process Configuration Tool combines business process modeling with configuration files in J.D. Edwards' enterprise application OneWorld. The configuration tool prompts users through a series of questions intended to customize OneWorld for a particular business, according to the company.
In addition to the tool set, J.D. Edwards also debuted a new Computer Based Training (CBT) program that will provide online training for users of the tool set and OneWorld applications. Both were developed to help users speed-up and simplify the implementation of the OneWorld system.
A company spokesperson said J.D. Edwards expects the implementation tool will translate into more efficient implementation schedules for the middle market. Pricing of the tool set was not available.
J.D. Edwards has also launched a new Service Alliance Program to help companies install ERP applications. As part of the program, the company said it has signed an agreement with more than 200 business partners, channel partners, and service companies specializing in OneWorld consulting.
In addition, the company also announced the extension of the J.D. Edwards Channel program to target the small business market through remarketing partners and resellers.
As part of this initiative, the company announced a new business partner, Support Net, a major North American IBM AS/400 reseller. The Support Net distribution network gives smaller companies that typically have revenues less than $35 million access to J.D. Edwards systems, according to the company.
ERP applications have become fixtures at a large majority of multinational corporations in recent years, but sales have begun to stagnate with market saturation, observers say. The major ERP vendors have devoted large resources to try to extend their core product to the front-office to make it attractive to a more diverse market.


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HMRC has announced that Self-Assessment customers won’t be charged the initial 5% late payment penalty providing they pay their tax or make a Time to Pay arrangement by 1 April 2021. The submission and payment deadline for Self-Assessments is 31 January, with interest... read more
The government has announced that anyone who made a claim for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) can delay repayments by an extra six months. The scheme was introduced shortly after the UK went into its first lockdown last year in a bid to help small and medium-sized... read more
New VAT rules for the UK’s construction sector will come into effect from 1 March 2021. Referred to as ‘the domestic reverse charge for supplies of building and construction services,’ the changes will affect sub-contractors who supply their services to other... read more
As you may already be aware, it’s less than 70 days until changes to IR35 come into effect. At the moment, contractors who operate through their own personal service company (PSC) are responsible for ensuring they’re paying Income Tax and National Insurance. From 6... read more
The deadline for claiming the third instalment of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) is rapidly approaching. If you’re self-employed and have been negatively affected by coronavirus, you have until 29 January 2021 to make your claim. You can find out if... read more
It will come as a relief to many that HMRC has extended the deadline for the submission of 2019/20 Self-Assessment Tax Returns. The traditional 31 January deadline has been extended to 28 February and customers will not receive a penalty providing they file their... read more
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On the heels of the release of a White Paper outlining the internet rights of Chinese citizens - zealously titled "Guaranteeing Citizens Freedom of Speech on the Internet" - the Chinese government is instituting strict regulations that extend its internet surveillance controls.
Across China, regulations now mandate that Internet cafes require smart ID cards for internet access and install surveillance cameras accessible by provincial government authorities monitoring their customers. Businesses that do not comply with these terms are threatened with fines and other punishments.
In the past year the Chinese government has gone to some lengths to limit public opinion of dissent online by limiting Internet access via Internet cafes. But as always, behind such censorship initiatives - ostensibly intended to protect children from pornography and guide them in "wholesome and correct" Internet usage - lurks the specter of a more disturbing, Orwellian exercise of control over Chinese netizens seeking public forums.
So take a seat in an Internet cafe in Sichuan. After we check to make sure your face matches your ID card, don't forget to swipe it so we have record of your patronage. Don't mind the cameras, please, just go about your business, accessing the free and open internet safely. Keep in mind that you may be traced and punished for letting loose opinions which include any of the following: "divulging state secrets," "subverting state power," "jeopardizing national unification," "damaging state honor and interests," "jeopardizing ethnic unity" or "state religious policy," (Read more after the jump!)


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Entrepreneurs going mobile instead of brick and mortar, driving boom in America’s van business
Ford is seeing an additional increase in sales of its Transit van – already America’s top seller – as small business owners rethink traditional models of operation with the rise of an on-demand economy.
Steve McBride, executive director of Pewabic Pottery, knew the future success of this historic business couldn’t rely on foot traffic alone. To find new ways to engage with the community and increase awareness of their business, owners of the 116-year-old ceramic studio and school purchased a Ford Transit and created a traveling exhibition space with portable ceramic firing kilns that allows the artists to bring the Pewabic experience to community festivals and schools.
“This is something we’d been thinking about doing for almost 30 years,” said McBride. “We knew we needed to customize the interior of the van to reflect our history while also creating a new kind of experience. We wanted it to be easy for people to walk through, so Ford’s option for a high roof and easy upfitting made choosing a Transit a no-brainer.”
Pewabic and its traveling street team is just one example of a trend being embraced by small businesses and entrepreneurs – mobile operations. With consumers increasingly valuing scarce free time and commercial real estate pricing up 6 percent year-over-year, according to Real Capital Analytics, savvy merchants have discovered that people want the retail and service industries to come to them.
“This trend sits right at the intersection of craft and convenience,” said Sheryl Connelly, Ford chief futurist. “Clicking a button and getting a thing shipped to you is something we’re used to, but now we’re quickly moving into ‘Click a button, get a service or get a custom experience.’ We all saw this start with the food truck trend, but as we shift away from commodity purchasing and toward personalized retail experiences, we’re seeking a more meaningful connection with brands – one that turns commonplace transactions into memorable moments. So being able to build out a van to suit that experience is a new way to imagine a brand.”
Businesses are choosing full-size vans to grow their companies rather than investing in stationary brick and mortar locations. Understanding these new trends and how customers will use their vehicles is part of why Ford has been America’s best-selling commercial van brand for 40 years.* Year-over-year, sales of Transit are up 1.9 percent; that jumps to 5.3 percent for fleets in the one-to-five-vehicle range.
“This is a segment we’ve been watching for some time,” said Tiffany Chang, Ford Transit marketing manager. “This is where our customers hustle and where entrepreneurs are most creative.”
Mobile operations provide flexibility for business owners to set up shop near corporate offices, in bustling downtown locations and at festivals and events around school campuses. Several steps are removed from the overall purchase process, allowing consumers almost instant access to goods and services.
“A lot of our customers can’t bring a bicycle in, or just appreciate the convenience of service and sales at home,” said Denise West, co-owner of Sarasota PopCycles. “Having a van lets us take care of our customers better. Plus, because of the big ad space it offers, we reach new people when we’re on a run. A neighbor sees the van and calls us to schedule service of their own.”
According to a 2019 Out of Home Advertising Association of America study, 64 percent of U.S. residents age 16 or older surveyed noticed a wrapped vehicle advertisement within the past month; 44 percent noticed one in the past week.
West’s husband Jeff Dimitry is 6-foot-2, so when he’s on calls, Transit’s available 81.5 inches of interior height ensures he doesn’t have to slouch while fixing or setting up bikes. For 2020, the new Ford Transit is adding even more configuration options. Two wheelbases, three roof heights, three overall lengths, a new crew van seating arrangement, three engine choices, single- or dual-rear wheels and all-wheel drive mean Transit can be configured in thousands of ways.
Howard Nemeroff has no storefront at all, running his floral business, Plant Parenting, as a direct-to-consumer operation. In addition to creating installations for customers, he saves plants from folks with brown thumbs. “People have their physician, pets have vets, we service sick plants,” he said. “I get calls that lead to pruning or repotting or soil amendment.”
Nemeroff opted for an EcoBoost®-powered Ford Transit to keep up with Chicago traffic. The van’s high roof lets him push rolling greenhouse racks in and out of the vehicle to save time when he’s working in a downtown skyscraper.
Ryan Wells is 24. He’s been racing dirt bikes for 20 years. To support his racing habit, he started AZ Dirt Bike Training to help teach riders not only how to be fast but also how to be safe. “People wanted to learn riding skills, and I figured it would be silly to bring them to me and for me to have a shop, so I bought a Transit and built it out to work for my racing career and my business,” said Wells. His Transit has living space up front and a garage in back. He can travel anywhere in the country and compete in motocross or hold training sessions.
Like Wells, future owners who need space but have never operated a full-size van will find enormous benefits in the 2020 Transit with its portfolio of driver-assist technologies. Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking paired with available Adaptive Cruise Control eases traffic stress, while available features like Enhanced Park Assist simplify parallel and perpendicular parking. Choosing newly available all-wheel drive can help give entrepreneurs the confidence of knowing their mobile business can travel to new destinations near and far.
FordPass Connect™ with 4G LTE Wi-Fi** with connectivity for up to 10 devices at a maximum distance of 50 feet away means owners can stay connected to the cloud while their customers can use their phones to stream the creative process or while away the time waiting for their bike to be fixed.
The upgraded 2020 Transit arrives at Ford dealerships at the end of this year.
* Based on total U.S. reported sales (1979-2018 calendar year). Includes Ford E-Series, formerly called Econoline, van and chassis; Club Wagon; Transit Connect cargo van and passenger wagon; Transit cargo van, passenger van and chassis.
** Don’t drive distracted or while using hand-held devices. Use voice controls.


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South Korean special prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong on January 16 in relation with the so-called “Choi Soon-sil Gate.”
In response, South Korean entrepreneurs voiced concerns, saying, “The special prosecutors are regarding Samsung’s 20.4 billion won (US$16.9 million) contributions to the MIR and K-Sports Foundations as bribes but, if so, the majority of South Korean conglomerates cannot but be their targets.”
The Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) and the Korea Employers Federation (KEF) asked the court to make a prudent decision in determining whether to issue the arrest warrant on January 18. “Samsung Electronics is one of the companies representing South Korea and the arrest of the vice chairman is likely to result in severe repercussions on the entire South Korean economy,” the KCCI explained. The KEF echoed by saying, “The arrest should be put on hold until hard evidence comes out.”
Associations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) added to the request as well. “An investigation of entrepreneurs affects not only companies but also the entire society and, as such, the special prosecutors should conduct their investigation with promptness and limit the scope of their probe to the minimum,” said the Korea Federation of SMEs.


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Embrace trends or lose ground to more nimble playersBy Susan Yellin | May 13 2014 04:34PM
Shifting demographics and increasing market share in the midst of heightened self-serve and social media technology are major issues shaping the future of the insurance industry – trends that insurers, MGAs and advisors need to embrace or lose business to more nimble players, an April PwC panel told industry participants.Petrina Dolby, managing director, and Byren Innes, senior strategic advisor, both with Consulting & Deals at PwC, outlined results from a recent CEO survey that showed that 47% of CEOs believe that building out current market share is their main opportunity for growth. Another 86% said technological advances will transform their business; 86% see over-regulation as a threat to their organization and 26% believe innovations in products and services will be the key to their growth.
Insurance companies have been increasing their market share by adding wealth products to their insurance offerings for quite some time, but the latest results indicate that those products are expected to surge in the next couple of years, thanks in large part to high net worth clients.
“[The wealth management] industry continues to grow despite what seems to be going on externally,” said Dolby. “If you look at some studies that have been around for many years that measure the growth of the high net worth market, there’s only two years over the last 20 that this market actually had a downturn. In Canada, many of the financial services institutions are looking to double their wealth management practices over the next three to five years.”
MGAs should follow in the footsteps of insurers and look upon adding wealth management products to increase their businesses, said Innes.
“I think this is an opportunity for the MGAs to embrace wealth more than they have in the past,” Innes said following the presentation. A number of MGAs have already taken the first steps by incorporating more mutual funds and other wealth products on top of their segregated fund businesses, he said. “So it’s going down the same path [as insurers]. Whether you are in a wealth management firm or you are an MGA that does wealth – it’s the same answer to a large degree – expanding out the business, ensuring that the overlap works properly and encouraging insurance advisors to become more of a wealth advisor.”
As well, a number of insurance companies are repositioning themselves in light of smaller, more agile technology companies that are capturing market share from clients demanding more self-serve products. Many clients have been influenced by technological advances in other sectors like finance and retail banking, where they have access to online shopping and banking. But wealth management firms, in particular, have been slow to bring new technologies to market due to the conservative nature of the industry and compliance concerns.
“As clients expect more and more of a digital experience, that drives transparency and access to more information, and their expectations of this [wealth management] sector are changing as well and exacerbating some of the challenges being faced [by the industry],” said Dolby.
Also driving change is shifting demographics, including the stronger influence of women in households.
Money in motion
While many companies acknowledge that women control 50%-60% of the “money in motion” – much of it from the transfer of wealth due to inheritances – few companies have segmented that market enough to take advantage of the opportunity, said Dolby.
Younger Generations X and Y tend to be more cautious and less trusting of authority and many prefer to go to their friends or social media and use self-serve research tools rather than take a page from their older boomer parents who have traditionally relied on face-to-face advice. Some providers are beginning to offer mobile solutions to these clients and investments in these kinds of technologies are increasingly appealing to the larger, more affluent market, said Dolby.
“So what you are seeing is clients having access to the same types of tools that advisors have and this is putting increased pressure on advisors to stay ahead of the curve,” she said. With the average age of advisors being 59 there is a huge transition that will be happening in the next few years of younger, more tech-savvy advisors entering the market. “There are a number of advisors saying ‘This isn’t the industry I got into,’ so they are looking to see what they can do now to sell their book or move on.”
That pressure is bolstered by research from PwC that shows between 30%-40% of current customers – from high net worth to middle income – are at risk of opting out of the retail advice channel altogether and using direct channels for their investments by 2017.
The “sweet spot” for advisors will be those who fall in between the traditional advisor category – those who have become used to using social networks on a daily basis – and those who have become specialized, channel-based advisors who have embedded themselves into the social network of self-directed investors, said Innes. Some advisors will have to slacken their hold on their clients who want to do some self-serve investing, he said.
“Clients are going to make that move anyway [to self-serve] so advisors are asking themselves, ‘What part of that do-it-yourself piece am I comfortable letting go and letting my clients do on their own while I still have the confidence to maintain the relationship and be able to give advice when it’s needed,’” Innes said.
Insurers will need to invest heavily in technology – and move fast on completing their projects just to keep up. But Innes cautioned that the pace of change in technology is so rapid that it may be a good idea for some insurers to set up start-ups that run alongside current systems.
The big challenge in all of this is how regulatory and compliance officials will feel about this new self-serve market and become more digitally aware by incorporating client needs into their guidance.
“The challenge is going to be how to balance everything,” said Dolby. “How can you start moving from this regulatory-driven agenda and start merging it a bit more with a client outcome? What are some of the client outcomes that we can get out of some of the compliance initiatives that are going on and where CRM2 might take us as we move forward?”


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TEC Equipment’s Fontana, Calif., facility holds the distinction of the largest heavy truck dealership in the U.S. It also now has on its resume that it was the genesis point for Volvo’s electric truck aspirations.
The Mack and Volvo truck dealer served as the backdrop this week for Volvo’s Innovation Showcase, hosting hundreds of trucking customers alongside transportation and environmental stakeholders as the Greensboro, N.C., truckmaker delivered an update on its Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solution (LIGHTS) partnership.
Announced just more than a year ago, the LIGHTS partnership teamed together Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) fleet customers NFI and Dependable Highway Express in the deployment of electric VNR trucks at their California port operations. The deployment was part of a joint effort to demonstrate the ability of battery electric vehicles (EVs) to improve freight and warehouse efficiencies, reduce emissions and improve air quality.
California Air Resources Board (CARB) provided more than $44 million in funding for the LIGHTS initiative, which, all-in, is a more than $90 million project. Other stakeholders in the project — there is a total of 15 partners — are California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and several transportation and electrical charging infrastructure participants.
Volvo Group President and CEO Martin Lundstedt notes 40 percent of all imports pass through California’s ports, making the Golden State a logical launching point for the LIGHTS initiative, and that put TEC Equipment, one of VTNA’s flagship properties, in the crosshairs to serve as electrification Ground Zero.
The first five LIGHTS trucks have been ordered and delivered. The 113-in. BBC electric VNR models being used in the test are based on technologies currently in use in the North American Volvo VNR, the European Volvo FE electric tractor and leverage some of the company’s experience in electric buses. Volvo has sold more than 4,000 electrified buses since 2010.
TEC Equipment will serve as a fully certified maintenance hub for the Volvo VNR Electric project trucks in the South Coast Air Basin. The company also plans to lease 15 battery-electric Volvo VNR Electric trucks to interested customers for real-world trials as part of the overall project scope and offer a critical uptime support team for assistance with parts and service on these new electric vehicles.
With fewer mechanical parts, and maintenance needs that to-date are not clearly defined within a duty-cycle, the electric truck represents a fundamental shift in business for truck dealers and their OEMs.
“Our mindset needs to change a little with these products,” says Brett Pope, VTNA director, electric vehicles. “There are changes and we need to start preparing and changing with this type of product.”
Pope says dealers can expect to see a shift in the way sales and services are approached at the dealership level, “to create the smoothest possible transition into an electric vehicle. What never changes is the relationship with the customer. It’s very important to work in close collaboration with the customer.”
With EVs, dealers and their OEM would likely work with customers to address electric infrastructure needs, taking on a consultative role before the truck order is ever placed.
“On the product side, we have to train our product managers,” Pope says. “We have to understand what we are offering on this truck. When it comes time to ordering the truck, and once we’re ready for delivery, we have to have new driver training.”
Initial sales of the electric VNR will kickoff in California, mostly within the footprint of the LIGHTS project. Inventing a market for electric trucks also means building out an aftermarket support platform for them, and Volvo plans to lean heavily on the training and support programs already in place within its dealer network.
In North America, the company says its Volvo VNR Electric will become the ideal truck model for short- and regional-haul applications like heavy urban distribution, and other applications where electric trucks will first have the greatest impact.
The company will begin the first phase of serial production and commercial offering of the Volvo VNR Electric in late 2020.
“All of the workshop support tools are already integrated and they already exist,” says Jeff Zody, VTNA aftermarket project manager. “All we have to do is put in the new content.”
The LIGHTS program also will help refine parts inventory strategies, he says, as TEC Equipment learns what parts are most subject to failure and which need to be regularly stocked locally.
Technicians will also need specific training for electric trucks “and safety is the driving influence of this,” Zody says.
The workshop manager would be responsible for training technicians and ensuring that all the proper equipment is in place. Lead technicians would handle pulling the unit into the bay and decommissioning the truck. The technician would then perform whatever repair work is needed before the lead technician is recalled to re-commission the truck.
The evolution of technical know-how means the changing of job descriptions and responsibilities in the service bay.
“Your everyday technician is pretty much going to have to start becoming a computer person,” says Kenny Melancon, diesel instructor with San Bernardino Valley College.
Melancon, in partnership with TEC Equipment and VTNA, will use the LIGHTS initiative to craft a curriculum for electric truck technicians. San Bernardino Valley College is currently working with high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to familiarize them with terminology on electric vehicles — part of a dual enrollment program where students earn college credits while working on their high school diploma.
“We’re not dealing with a 12-volt battery anymore,” adds John Frala, a professor from Rio Hondo College, which also developed an electric vehicle curriculum in partnership with TEC Equipment. “We’re dealing with, sometimes, up to 800 volts.”
Frala says his program is full through January 2021 and is one of only seven certified Tesla training programs in the U.S.
VTNA President Peter Voorhoeve says TEC Equipment technicians will pass through the training programs at each school.
Nearly 60 chargers have been deployed as part of the LIGHTS project, with both light- and heavy-duty capabilities.
Trillium, part of the Love’s Travel Stop company, will install two 150kW chargers at a store in Anaheim.
Locally, the installation of the truck charging infrastructure was handled by Greenlots, a member of the Shell Group and a leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging and energy management solutions. The heavy-duty fleet charging stations are the first of four installations by Greenlots at warehouses across Southern California.
Greenlots installed two fully operational ABB 50kW DC fast chargers at TEC Equipment’s Fontana dealership and plans to install an additional 150kW DC fast charger in the next month. All of the charging equipment for the project is connected to Greenlots’ SKY EV Charging Network Software, which enables management of Volvo’s fleet and charging stations while balancing grid demand.


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Salesforce.com Inc. (CRM - Free Report) is scheduled to announce its second quarter 2013 results on August 23, 2012, after the closing bell. We see limited movement in analyst estimates over the past 30 days.
First Quarter Overview
Salesforce.com reported mixed first quarter 2013 numbers, with adjusted loss per share of 2 cents missing the Zacks Consensus break-even estimate. Despite solid revenue growth, higher expenses led to the miss.
Revenue grew 37.9% from the year-ago quarter to $695.0 million. The reported revenue was above the company’s guidance range of $673 million to $678 million. Currency tailwinds, solid geographical contribution and favorable business mix aided the revenue improvement. During the quarter, CRM delivered 54 billion transactions, an increase of 72% from a year ago. The company also mentioned that more than 2 million applications were built on Force.com and Heroku platforms.
Despite a 35.5% increase in gross profit, unfavorable mix, costs associated with recent acquisitions and some data center investments led to a 140 basis point margin contraction. Total operating expenses were also on the rise (40.1% year on year), backed by higher research and development (R&D) investments and headcount.
Second Quarter & Fiscal 2013 Outlook
For the second quarter, total revenue is expected to be in the range of $724.0 million to $728.0 million. GAAP loss per share is expected to be between $0.10 and $0.09, while non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) are expected to lie in the $0.38 to $0.39 range.
For full-year 2013, Salesforce.com raised its revenue outlook to $2.97–$3.00 billion from $2.92–$2.95 billion. Diluted GAAP loss per share is expected to be in the range of $0.45 to $0.08 (previously $0.55 to $0.51), while diluted non-GAAP EPS is projected to be in the range of $1.60 to $1.63 (previously $1.58 to $1.62).
Moreover, the company expects to continue investing in new technologies and in key international markets, and expand through acquisitions. Salesforce continues to aggressively hire people and intends to expand sales distribution/engineering through fiscal 2013. The company also has plans to increase headcount in the R&D and selling and marketing (S&M) division.
Agreement of Analysts
Analysts appear divided about their expectations for the upcoming quarter.
Some are positive about the new products launched by the company, such as Force.com, Data.com and believe that the heavy investments in new products will convert to market share gains. Another new offering, Social Enterprise Vision also looks promising, as it possesses the ability to compete with offerings from major players including Microsoft Corp. (MSFT - Free Report) , Twitter, Facebook (FB - Free Report) and LinkedIn .
Other analysts expect revenue to slow down as some companies are using their own internal systems and hence reducing their IT spending. Salesforce.com is also facing severe competition from its peers including Oracle Corp. (ORCL - Free Report) , SAP AG (SAP - Free Report) and Microsoft.
Despite the mixed sentiment among analysts, estimate revisions were limited. Out of the 17 estimates available for the second quarter, only 1 was raised and no downward revisions were made in the last 30 days. But, among the 20 estimates for fiscal 2013, there were 2 upward and 3 downward revisions in the last 30 days.
Magnitude of Estimate Revisions
The magnitude of revisions has been minimal since the company reported its first quarter results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the upcoming quarter remained unchanged at 4 cents, while the estimate for fiscal 2013 moved down 2 cents to 0 cents over the last 30 days. However, estimates remained unchanged for the quarter and dropped 10.3% for fiscal 2013 in the last 90 days. The estimate revision for fiscal 2013 reflects currency headwinds and EPS dilution from the Buddy Media acquisition.
We believe that the deal growth momentum and new product launches are positives for the upcoming quarter. But currency headwinds, increasing expenses and stiff competition from its peers keep us concerned.
Though we are encouraged by Salesforce’s growth prospects in the cloud, the entry of tech giants such as Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ - Free Report) into the cloud space would further increase competition, going forward.
Currently, Salesforce.com has a Zacks #3 Rank, implying a short-term Hold rating.


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Focus on Automotive
Smaller vehicles big hit at dealers
With high fuel costs, consumers shift gears
- Stacy Vogel Davis
With the spike in gas prices this spring, it’s no surprise that car buyers are looking at smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, adding business for some area auto dealers.
“(The price of gas) is a factor, but it’s not the driver,” he said. “The driver is it’s the right thing to do.”
In fact, Neenah-based Bergstrom Automotive, the largest dealership group in the state, has built some of its growth strategy on the belief that people are looking for premium small cars, especially as second vehicles. It opened the state’s first Fiat dealership in February on the northwest side of Milwaukee, replacing a Smart car dealership there, and opened Bergstrom’s first BMW Mini dealership in Appleton three months ago.
“We have so many people that all of a sudden are thinking, ‘we want to have a big car in our garage and a small car,’ rather than two big cars,” Bergstrom said.
Bergstrom Automotive isn’t the only dealer group seeing big sales from small cars, including subcompact models such as the Chevrolet Aveo, Ford Fiesta and Mini Cooper. Anything that gets more than 35 miles per gallon is doing well right now, said Jim Tolkan, president of the Automobile Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee Inc.
“Anything that’s getting extremely good mileage, which I would define as probably 35 mpg plus, is doing well,” he said.
Sales of compact cars, such as the Chevy Cruze and Ford Focus, seem to be doing especially well, but subcompact cars also are seeing strong sales, he said.
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Trivandrum: Kerala Tourism has bagged two top honours at the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Awards for this year. The State tourism department’s pioneering Responsible Tourism initiative in Kumarakom and its hugely popular online newsletter have won the PATA Gold awards.
As per an announcement from the Macau Government Tourism Office, which supports and sponsors the awards considered the benchmark for the global tourism industry, Kumarakom Responsible Tourism Project won in the Corporate Social Responsibility category while Kerala Tourism e-Newsletter received the recognition in the Marketing Media section. This is the second consecutive PATA Gold award for the Kerala Tourism e-Newsletter.
State Tourism Minister, Shri A P Anilkumar said, “This is a remarkable achievement for Kerala. We are proud of this top international honour, which will inspire us to continue our efforts in rural tourism development and also taking the brand of Kerala far and wide. Through the Kumarakom model, we have shown the world that it is possible to successfully link the local community with the hospitality industry and various government departments for empowering the people and developing an area while sustaining eco-friendly tourism.”
The awards will be presented on September 19 at the Diamond Island City Hall in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. The award ceremony will be attended by over 800 officials from the travel and tourism industry.
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director, Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) hailed Kerala Tourism’s achievements as a “breath of fresh air to the Asia-Pacific region”.
Supported and sponsored by MGTO for the last 19 years, the PATA Awards recognise innovation and excellence in travel and tourism industry.
Suman Billa, Secretary, Kerala Tourism said, “We are humbled by the fact that Kerala has become a global leader and Kumarakom a global model in sustainable tourism. We were lucky to be the first Tourism Board in the country to take advantage of the internet technology to reach a global audience. The Kerala Tourism e-Newsletter has a worldwide subscription of over 90,000.”
P I Sheik Pareeth, Director, Kerala Tourism said, “It is a huge honour for the people of Kerala, who are the real ambassadors of tourism of our State.”
Kerala Biz News


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From the Federal Trade Commission:
As the Coronavirus takes a growing toll on people’s pocketbooks, there are reports that the government will soon be sending money by check or direct deposit to each of us. The details are still being worked out, but there are a few really important things to know, no matter what this looks like.
1. The government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing.
2. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer.
3. These reports of checks aren’t yet a reality. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
Look, normally we’d wait to know what the payment plan looks like before we put out a message like this. But these aren’t normal times. And we predict that the scammers are gearing up to take advantage of this.
So, remember: no matter what this payment winds up being, only scammers will ask you to pay to get it. If you spot one of these scams, please tell the Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov/complaint. We’re doing our best to stop these scammers in their tracks, and your report will help.


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IN THE world of central banking, slow and predictable decisions are the aim. So on January 15th, when the Swiss National Bank (SNB) suddenly announced that it would no longer hold the Swiss franc at a fixed exchange rate with the euro, there was panic. The franc soared. On Wednesday one euro was worth 1.2 Swiss francs; at one point on Thursday its value had fallen to just 0.85 francs. A number of hedge funds across the world made big losses. The Swiss stockmarket collapsed. Why did the SNB provoke such chaos?
The SNB introduced the exchange-rate peg in 2011, while financial markets around the world were in turmoil. Investors consider the Swiss franc as a “safe haven” asset, along with American government bonds: buy them and you know your money will not be at risk. Investors like the franc because they think the Swiss government is a safe pair of hands: it runs a balanced budget, for instance. But as investors flocked to the franc, they dramatically pushed up its value. An expensive franc hurts Switzerland because the economy is heavily reliant on selling things abroad: exports of goods and services are worth over 70% of GDP. To bring down the franc’s value, the SNB created new francs and used them to buy euros. Increasing the supply of francs relative to euros on foreign-exchange markets caused the franc’s value to fall (thereby ensuring a euro was worth 1.2 francs). Thanks to this policy, by 2014 the SNB had amassed about $480 billion-worth of foreign currency, a sum equal to about 70% of Swiss GDP.
The SNB suddenly dropped the cap last week for several reasons. First, many Swiss are angry that the SNB has built up such large foreign-exchange reserves. Printing all those francs, they say, will eventually lead to hyperinflation. Those fears are probably unfounded: Swiss inflation is too low, not too high. But it is a hot political issue. In November there was a referendum which, had it passed, would have made it difficult for the SNB to increase its reserves. Second, the SNB risked irritating its critics even more, thanks to something that is happening this Thursday: many expect the European Central Bank to introduce “quantitative easing”. This entails the creation of money to buy the government debt of euro-zone countries. That will push down the value of the euro, which might have required the SNB to print lots more francs to maintain the cap. But there is also a third reason behind the SNB’s decision. During 2014 the euro depreciated against other major currencies. As a result, the franc (being pegged to the euro) has depreciated too: in 2014 it lost about 12% of its value against the dollar and 10% against the rupee (though it appreciated against both currencies following the SNB's decision). A cheaper franc boosts exports to America and India, which together make up about 20% of Swiss exports. If the Swiss franc is not so overvalued, the SNB argues, then it has no reason to continue trying to weaken it.
The big question now is how much the removal of the cap will hurt the Swiss economy. The stockmarket fell because Swiss companies will now find it more difficult to sell their wares to European customers (high-rolling Europeans are already complaining about the price of this year’s skiing holidays). UBS, a bank, downgraded its forecast for Swiss growth in 2015 from 1.8% to 0.5%. Switzerland will probably remain in deflation. But the SNB should not be lambasted for removing the cap. Rather, it should be criticised for adopting it in the first place. When central banks try to manipulate exchange rates, it almost always ends in tears.


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A new rumor suggests that two more Assassin’s Creed games will be announced during the upcoming Ubisoft Forward 2022.
Just recently, it was officially announced that Assassin’s Creed Mirage is now a thing and it will be showcased in the upcoming event this weekend. While Ubisoft made it official, the company has not shared any other details about it, not even the protagonist who is seen in the only image that it has provided to the world. The developers are being coy but it is clear it is Basim from the artwork.
Today, a new report by journalist Tom Henderson revealed important details about the upcoming Ubisoft Forward, focusing on the Assassin’s Creed portion of the showcase. Most of it will be a deep dive into the new Assassin’s Creed Mirage, but there will be other big reveals, he says.
Henderson’s sources claim that this weekend, two new games will be revealed and these will be part of the live-service Assassin’s Creed Infinity platform. These are called Project Red and Project Hexe, he stated.
The first game, Project Red, is rumored to be set in Japan. Henderson says that the early concept of the game shows that a female samurai-like assassin is going to play the central role in the game. He did say that players will be able to play a male protagonist as well.
Project Hexe on the other hand, which was Project Neo originally, is said to be the darkest Assassin’s Creed game ever. The report says it will reveal the story of the witch hunts in 16th-century Europe.
Henderson also says that aside from Assassin’s Creed Infinity, a mobile game will be announced too. It will be set in China and is currently named Project Jade. He says the final DLC for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will be announced too. Lastly, he has not heard anything about the previously announced Assassin’s Creed VR game that was announced two years ago.
Are we finally getting an Assassin’s Creed game set in Japan after so long? This coming Ubisoft Forward in the weekend, we will find out.